


The Shadowed Heir

by toomanyteabags



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:42:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,107
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24693976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toomanyteabags/pseuds/toomanyteabags
Summary: Years have passed since Etheria was saved by the princesses, and life has remained peaceful. No one is more upset by this than Finn, the child of the legendary Adora and Catra, who longs for adventure. They're dealing with the normal challenges of youth- acne, fussy relatives, and... maybe a crush... combined with the more unique things: trying to figure out if they want to inherit the position of an 8 foot tall warrior, stealing an abandoned space ship, and trying to learn how to shapeshift. Y'know, regular ordinary stuff! Besides, they have the entire former princess army with them... what could possible go wrong?
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra), Mermista/Sea Hawk (She-Ra), Perfuma/Scorpia (She-Ra)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 88





	1. Too Many Aunts

The butterfly was perched, elegant, on a half full rose. It was white and clean, like a fresh sheet of paper. Finn’s nose twitched, their eyes narrowing as they crept closer. They could feel their claws digging into the summer grass, the forest heavy with pollen and unshed rain. Their tail flicked, once, as the butterfly’s wings stilled. Just one pounce, like their mom had shown them, and the butterfly would be theirs. Just one more move. Finn felt their legs tense, their ears laid back, just as-

“Finn!” A high voice squeaked, and a masked figure dropped beside them, hanging upside down. 

“Argh,” Finn hissed as the butterfly, spooked, fluttered away into the safety of the forest leaves. They sat back, tail bobbing in exasperation, and turned towards the newcomer. 

The masked figure flipped their mask up dismissively as their purple hair swung them around so they sat, crossed legged, next to Finn. 

“Hello, Aunt Entrapta…” Finn couldn’t help but smile despite their annoyance. Of all the family, the purple-haired inventor aunt was one of their favorites. 

“Ah, yes, hello,” she began distractedly, hair fiddling with some spare screws as she pulled out her tape recorder. “I was working on the, ahem, secret requests of yours! They’re coming along very nicely, only some minor explosions in the lab, and will be ready for tomorrow evening!”

“Really?” Finn gasped, jumping to their feet. “Oh, that is perfect! My moms are going to love it!”

“Yes, well, it could have been even better if I had more time,” Entrapta sighed, “but this will have to do. Of course, I can always upgrade it…” 

Finn bounced excitedly, claws digging into the forest grass. “This is amazing, you are the best aunt ever!” 

They felt a ponytail pat their head. “I wouldn’t say that around Glimmer. She’s going to be very worked up already, tomorrow. Preparing stuff. I’m coming with her.” The mechanic stood, brushing off her overalls and picking stray leaves from her hair. “I have to get there to make sure they have tiny food! Well now,” she said brightly, “I’m off! I left Wrong Hordak in charge, but between you and me, he can’t tell the difference between an A-12 compressor unit and a Tactile Converter!” 

Laughing, Entrapta’s purple pigtails wrapped around tree branches as she swung into the dense forest canopy, like some sort of pastel Tarzan.

Finn stood, dumb founded, by their aunt's abrupt departure. 

Grinning, they stood and stretched, feeling their spine arch. They’d better get home, it must almost be dinner. Their moms were going to Freak. Out. 

At school, Finn always heard stories of the great She-Ra, heroine to Etheria and carrier of light. The girl who united the princesses, and saved the planet from the Horde. But to Finn, she’d always just been one of their moms. It was hard to see an all-powerful hero in the woman who would chastise them for walking home without an umbrella or practice yoga with Perfuma out on the lawn. Similarly, it was hard to see a former cunning villain in their other mom, the one who shrieked when there was a spider and refused to take a jump in the palace swimming pool. 

Maybe the school teachers are full of dirt, Finn kicked a rock as they walked through the forest and onto the beaten dirt path. My moms just nag me to study hard so I can be advisor to the future Queen. And she isn’t even out of diapers yet.

The air was humid, and the Bright Moon palace stood large and sturdy in the fading sunlight. The moonstone, an everlasting reminder of magic, was just beginning to shine with a soft glow. Servants and guards were ambling around, everything starting to slow down for the night. It was sleepy and quiet, and Finn couldn’t help but yawn. 

Is this what we’ve come to? Getting excited that the sun is setting? They thought, nose wrinkling slightly.

Of course, Finn had never really known a time of war. Only what they’re learned or listened to. Everyday an adventure, an escape, a story. When they were little, Finn would sit in their Uncle Sea Hawk’s lap and beg for another tale about what it was like to fight the Horde. Their uncle would smile before launching into an eager tale, where he punched clones and ultimately save the day. Occasionally, Aunt Mermista would chime in with her flat-line voice, shaking her head as she explained what really happened.

What really happened. What had really happened? Talk of the Horde, especially Horde Prime, was forbidden to Finn. Everytime they tried to ask a question, Mom would rub the back of her neck with a tense expression while their Mama would shake her head firmly. 

I bet I could’ve fought off a hundred clones, at least! Finn felt stones poke at their feet as they skipped the palace steps two at a time.

“There you are,” a woman in a long gown had poked her head out the door. “Finn! What on Etheria have you been doing, you’re filthy!”

“I was just exploring,” Finn defended themselves as the woman came out and started tidying them up. “Besides, you don’t have to clean me, y’know! I’m not a kitten anymore.” They tried to shrug themselves away, but the woman clucked her tongue impatiently. 

“As the Queen, I order you to stay put so I can fix your hair.” Glimmer dusted twigs and pollen from Finn’s hair, crown gleaming on her forehead. She finished and hugged them tightly, nose tickling Finn’s ear. “And I like doing it, for your information!”

“Okay, okay,” Finn laughed, wrapping their arms around her. “Did you finish preparing everything?”

The Queen drew back, suddenly anxious. “Not really, there’s still so much to do. Our annual Still is tomorrow, and there’s so much to be done! Perfuma said she’d help with the decorations, but who knows when she’ll get here, she’s always ‘I arrive when the universe calls me,’ and Entrapta is helping with the cooking but can’t keep a deadline to save her life and-”

Finn caught Glimmer’s hands. “I can help, if you need anything? I’m sure everything will be fine.”

She sighed. “It’s going to be Luna’s first Still, I really want it to be special. Every year we do this, I can’t help but think how we celebrate our peace when there’s so much pain behind it...” Her eyes drifted to the statue of Queen Angella in the front lawn, eyes clouded with sadness.

“It’s going to be great,” they repeated. “Besides, it’s the only time of year we get everyone together. What could possibly go wrong when we have the entire princess army in one place?”

Glimmer laughed, softly, before pulling away and smiling. “Former princess army. None of us are as young as we used to be! But thank you, Finn. Now run along and get plenty of rest. You’ll need it!”

Finn waved as the Queen strode away, gown flowing behind her, before breaking into a run. They dashed through the hallways, scattering servants, almost slipping a few times as their claws skidded on the smooth stone. 

How to sneak back into their room before they were caught? They'd have to go through the window. Crap. Finn wished they had their Aunt Glimmer's teleportation powers, those would have really come in handy. Finn crept over to the door that separated their family's chain of rooms from the rest of the palace. They stretched out a hand, claws skimming the cold doorknob, when it flew open.

Instinctively, Finn ducked behind the open door and watched their Mama storm into the hallway, followed by a tired looking Mom.

"It's just, they NEVER listen! I told them to be here on time, but they're ten minutes later! I mean, what? Are we not good enough? Are we boring parents?" The blonde ponytail shook as the first woman gestured in exasperation.

Her companion, Finn's other mom, smiled and put a hand on her wife's shoulder. "Of course we're boring parents, Adora. Who else would we want to be?" 

Adora softened a little, and smiled, before spotting Finn lurking in the shadows. She held out a triumphant finger, pointing it at them.

"Ah-ha! The child returns! Now come here, I made dinner-" 

"You mean you burnt it?" Chuckled Catra softly, tail twitching.

"I MADE dinner," Adora continued as if she had never been interrupted. "So we can eat as a family tonight, the Queen doesn't need either of us for meetings. Isn't that great? Now come on, tell us about your day!"

Finn groaned. "It was fine, I guess."

"Aw, come on, you're gonna tell us more than that!" Adora raised an eyebrow, and tugged Finn out from behind the door. She led her wife and child inside, and Finn glanced behind to see the doors swing shut. 

It was Family Dinner Time.


	2. Family Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn faces their most daring task yet... getting through the dreaded Family Dinner! They're going to have to be brave, and able to dodge questions about their plans for the future, fight their parent's expectations, and hide the truth: They don't want to be the next She-Ra.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I didn't think anyone would read this fic?? I guess I need to start putting in more effort now that it has 92 hits (is that good? Is it bad? I don't know!) I've never written fanfic before, so please be nice but by all means give me feedback!! I want to be able to give y'all the best content I can (and I'm sorry about the pacing in Chapter One I know it was too fast. This time is a little better). UH... thanks for reading? I hope y'all don't hate it so far? I honestly started writing The Shadowed Heir because I wanted a writing exercise and didn't want to be too serious. Also, I liked imagining Catra and Adora as "classic" overprotective moms. I know i'm not the best writer, but I am trying very hard! Thank you to the people who will continue to read Finn's story! Much love, -toomanyteabags :)

“Catra!’ Scolded Adora as her wife snatched a still-hot fish stick before it has touched the table. “Can you wait until we’re all sitting?”

“Hm, interesting idea,” Catra took a bite of it, leaning back on her chair, “How about no?”

Adora huffed and turned to Finn. “She’s ALWAYS done this, y’know. Even when we were little kids. She always had to eat as soon as food came view, did she ever wait for me? Ugh!” 

Despite their Mama’s complaining, Finn could tell she didn’t mean it. And as they watched, Catra’s tail snuck up to wrap around Adora’s wrist, and the blonde woman bent down to kiss the top of her wife’s head. 

Finn made the customary “ew-my-parents-are-in-love face” before starting to pour drinks for everyone. They took a big red glass and filled it with water, a smaller blue one filled with milk, and a purple one filled with juice. 

They picked them up, carefully, and brought them over to the faded pink table with mismatched chairs. They set the water by Adora’s plate, the milk by Catra’s, and the juice for themselves. 

They looked up to see their Mama looking nervous, fiddling with her blonde hair, looking as if she wanted to ask them something. 

“What is it?” Finn asked, on guard. It wasn’t like their mom to hesitate. 

She opened her mouth to reply, but closed it again.

“I’m… just happy that you’re here for dinner. Now let’s eat!” 

She brought the last couple dishes over and sat down to eat. There was silence for a few moments, broken only by the occasional click of forks and knives (except for Catra, of course, who ate only with her hands). 

Finn’s stomach rumbled as they started eating, it was good. They had no idea where their mom learned to cook (was it Aunt Glimmer’s teaching?) but she had made fish sticks, salad, and soup.

A sound caught their attention, they looked up with their spoon halfway to their mouths. Catra had evidently cleared her throat, and was holding onto Adora’s hand. 

Finn felt their stomach drop. Were they in trouble? They pulled pranks at school, of course, but they never got caught! There was no way their parents knew anything about that… right?

“I’m sorry,” Finn began, panicked, “I just thought it would be funny to-”

“What are you talking about?” Adora asked, brow furrowed.

Catra laughed, voice silky and low. “You really are our kid, huh? Aw man, back in the day there was this guy, Kyle? He was scared of his own shadow. So your mama and I used to-”

Catra faltered when she saw her wife’s expression.

“I thought it would be nice to have you here for dinner so we could talk…” Adora began gently, smiling at Finn. “I’m not getting any younger, so I wanted to ask you- well, we can discuss it of course- but you’re twelve years old now and it’s time we start talking about who the next She-Ra is going to be.”

Finn’s mouth dropped open. “Y-you mean- I- me? She-Ra?” Their chest was tight with anxiety, fingers gripping the spoon too tight. This was the conversation they had dreaded for years.

Adora glanced at her wife for support. 

“I mean, you are the current one’s kid and 50% First One. With some training, we don’t think it would be hard for you to learn how to summon the sword.” Catra shrugged before a smile played on her lips. “Of course, instead of becoming She-Ra you could follow in MY footsteps and start an empir-”

“Our child is NOT becoming a villain!” Adora looked at her wife, torn between annoyance and humor.

“I wasn’t the villain!” Catra hissed playfully, ears flicking back, “I was the misunderstood morally grey character! Everyone always roots for them in the end!”

“Sure, sure,” Adora smiled and brushed hair from Catra’s face. “Keep telling yourself that while I train Finn to be an 8 foot tall warrior.”

“Um, actually?” Finn interceded. “Can we… can we discuss this? She-Ra is an 8 foot tall FEMALE warrior. I dunno if you’ve met me, but I’m not big on the whole gendered thing.”

“It’s just a formality,” Adora waved dismissively. “Besides, things need to change anyways. She-Ra always has been female, but that doesn’t mean she has to be in the future.”

“Is that how it works?” Finn asked, raising their eyebrows with disbelief.

“The rules don’t say it doesn’t work that way,” Catra took another bite of the fish stick, smiling. “I mean, we have the first She-Ra in a chain that was broken for 1,000 years. I think it’s time to revamp it!”

Adora put her hand over her face. “Did you just say we should ‘revamp’ a sacred legacy spanning countless centuries?”

“Yup,” Catra finished her fish stick and tossed the remains into the garbage can sitting a few feet away. “Am I wrong?”

“Well, no,” Adora admitted before looking back at Finn. “If you want, we can start training the day after tomorrow, once the celebrations have ended.”

Finn looked at their moms, from Adora’s eager face to Catra’s proud one. They looked at how tight Catra’s fists were, how quickly her tail was flicking. How there was a faint line between Adora’s eyebrows, and her knee was bouncing under the table. They were nervous, they wanted their child to be someone special. 

Finn had always said how they wished they could’ve fought Horde soldiers, but this was different. They wouldn’t get to be a faceless solider in an army, fighting to survive. They would have to carry a legacy, be the person everyone looked up to. That thought made their skin crawl, so many eyes on them. Watching, judging, waiting for Finn to screw up. Plus the idea of being transformed into some kind of magical girl? Yuck. Finn felt the familiar prickle on the back of their neck, the tight pit of emotions wrestling in their stomach. Being publicly recognized, paraded around, as female really made them sick. 

Finn opened their mouth to say no before seeing the hopeful gleam in both their moms’ eyes. They couldn't bring themselves to let down their parents. It wouldn’t hurt to say yes for now, right? They could always come clean afterwards, but there was no need to spoil the festive mood. 

“I would love to,” they forced a grin and busied themselves with eating more soup, trying to distract from the fear that wrapped around their head like a cloud. 

Adora stood up and hugged Finn while Catra cleared the table of everything that had already been eaten. 

“This is wonderful, my child as my successor, oh Finn-” 

Finn looked up at their mother’s happy face and wished they were telling the truth when they said they wanted to be She-Ra.

“Oh! I can’t wait to see what your She-Ra outfit will be! Maybe it’ll have pants? Hm.. no way to know for certain… this is the best day ever!” Adora pumped her fist in the air and helped her wife clean up the kitchen, still discussing every thought that strayed into her head. 

“I’m proud of you. You’re following a great path,” Catra came over and hugged Finn gently. “I know it’s not easy, but you’re going to be great. We both trust you.”

Not trusting themselves to speak without sobbing, Finn nodded, throat tight with pain.

Silently, tuning out their moms’ excited chatter, Finn mechanically swept the kitchen floor and took out the trash before retreating into their room under the pretense of getting ready for bed.

One the door was shut and bolted, Finn sank down onto the floor. They pressed their back against the heavy wood and hugged their knees, trying to cry as quietly as possible.


	3. Finn Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (this chapter may not be suitable for some readers- it deals with themes of intense anxiety and panic/anxiety attacks- please read safely!)
> 
> Hours had passed since dinner, and Finn lay in their bed staring up at the ceiling. Their face felt tight and sticky with tears, hands holding tight to the blanket as they tried to ground themself.   
> Their breathing was fast, too fast, and their head felt as if it would split in two. Finn pulled the blanket over themselves, taking bitter comfort in the warm darkness as they hid away. Tucked away, just for a moment, trying to escape the world. Trying to escape expectations, responsibilities, their parents, and themself.

Hours had passed since dinner, and Finn lay in their bed staring up at the ceiling. Their face felt tight and sticky with tears, hands holding tight to the blanket as they tried to ground themself. 

Their breathing was fast, too fast, and their head felt as if it would split in two. Finn pulled the blanket over themselves, taking bitter comfort in the warm darkness as they hid away. Tucked away, just for a moment, trying to escape the world. Trying to escape expectations, responsibilities, their parents, and themself. 

Screwing their eyes shut, Finn longed to disappear. To sink into their bed and never come out. Their thoughts were racing too fast for them to examine, and their chest ached from hyperventilating. 

_She-Ra. Mom. Mama. Hero. Villain. Female. Judgement. Warrior. Duty. People. Anxiety. Hate. Hate. HATE._

_Make it stop._ Finn though desperately, clutching at their head. _Please, please, please, please-_

They could feel their pulse hammering, chest rising and falling, tears pouring, everything was too hot, sweat sticking to their body, they were shivering, it was so cold, fingertips numb, too scared and anxious and overwhelmed to move, they were trapped-

A knock sounded at the door. Finn couldn’t have gotten up even if they wanted to, their body was frozen in place. Arms and legs locked in fetal position, knees touching their forehead as they tried to make themselves as small as possible. 

_I should say something, tell them to go away._ But even as Finn thought it, they knew they wouldn’t. Their throat was too dry, and the knock felt distant. Everything was slowing down now, dreamily, Finn could barely register their surroundings. Was someone knocking… again? Finn couldn’t tell.

There was a whooshing sound, like something had entered the room. Finn dimly was aware of a new weight on their blanket, a force that was pushing on it. Trying to get the blanket off.

Instinctively, Finn curled up tighter, silently willing whoever it was to go away. 

No such luck. With a grunting noise, the force pulled the blanket off Finn.

Feeling like exposed prey, Finn lay gasping in the fresh cool air. They forced themselves to open their eyes, flowing with tears, and made out a blurry shape. It was touching Finn’s cheek- no, _pawing_ at Finn’s cheek.

Finn felt a tail, impossibly light and flowing, stroking their back gently. There was silence, it stretched for minutes, while Finn’s breathing slowly eased.

“M-Melog?” Finn finally croaked, and felt a rough tongue rasp their hand.

Gently, Melog jumped into Finn’s bed beside them, helping to nudge them up into a sitting position. 

“Melog, how did you get in?” Finn whispered weakly, stroking the creature’s head. They still felt shaken, as if their insides had been put in a blender. 

Melog tipped their head to the side, as if asking a question. _How do_ you _think I got in?_

“I think you warped through the door, which you’ve been told to stop doing.” Finn kissed the top of Melog’s head. “Thank you for not listening.”

Melog purred, lying down so they were curled around Finn. 

Finn wiped their face off and blew their nose with the blanket, at this point what did it matter if they tried to keep clean? 

The clock on their nightstand read 3:32 A.M. Finn felt their stomach sink. They needed to be up in a few hours for the celebrations.

“Guess we’re not getting much sleep tonight, huh?” They asked Melog, who yawned and turned a light yellow.

Finn smiled. While they couldn’t communicate with Melog the way their Mom could, Melog did sometimes respond to their emotions. 

Melog was supposed to sleep in the living room, but it was fairly common for them to sneak into Finn’s room. Finn liked the company, and Melog often served as their closest confidant.

“What should I do, Meely?” Finn said softly into the darkness. “How can I ever hope to be the next She-Ra? Like my Mama? I don’t… I can’t be like her. I can’t be a brave warrior, and a symbol to all of Etheria. To all the universe. But if I don’t do it, no one else will. Don’t you get it? Mama is the only First One left, all the others were wiped out by Horde Prime. As her child, I’m part of that heritage. I might be the only person besides her that can wield the sword. Although, I guess maybe She-Ra doesn’t need a sword? Could they find someone else to do it?”

Melog meowed, turning a deep blue for a moment before fading into their usual burgundy color. 

Finn took a deep breath before admitting what they knew they could never say to anyone else. “...I wish I was someone else. Everyone thinks I have this golden destiny. They want me to be She-Ra, or advisor to Luna when she’s grown up and Queen, or- or someone special. Someone with a purpose.” Finn gave a short, harsh laugh. “I don’t have a purpose. I’m a screw-up, did you know that, Meely? I mess things up all the time. No one at school even likes me, they only want to be my friend so they can come home and meet my moms. I’m twelve years old and I’ve never even had a best friend. Or an adventure. And- and I don’t even know who I want to be. Even if I didn’t have the pressure of my moms. I don’t know what I want.”

Finn paused, finding bittersweet freedom in letting their deep secret ripple out into the air, their chest feeling a little lighter. 

“I don’t think I’m ever going to know what I want,” Finn added, so quietly their lips barely moved. They were crying again, but who cared? It was only them, Melog, and the cold pale moon shining through the palace window. “I don’t get the choice of wanting. I have to do what people need me to do. I… I have to be the next She-Ra.”

Melog bared their teeth, mane spiking up with anger and discomfort. 

“Look, I don’t want to!” Finn said, angry and hurt by the creature’s response. “But it’s my birthright. And I can’t disappoint my moms. This means the world to them.”

The cat-like creature scrunched up their nose, silently daring Finn to keep talking.

Instead, Finn buried their head in their pillow.

“Let’s just try to get some sleep, Meely, okay? Maybe things will be better in the morning.”

As Finn drifted off, their last fuzzy thoughts were visions of a glowing warrior carrying a sword and their moms smiling faces before everything melted to black.


	4. The Dream of Light

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (hello! I disappeared for the last two weeks to plan out the first arc of The Shadowed Heir- there's gonna be a lot of chapters. Also, I have tumblr now! My user is @ toomanyteabags. I'll be posting concept art for TSH, new chapter updates, etc. And I'm really excited to get to talk about some of the worldbuilding: like how I've made profiles for all the 2nd gen kiddos. If you want to get the newest updates or see behind the scenes stuff, please consider checking it out! There's so many details I can't fit in and would love to share. Okay, enough yammering, onto the story!)
> 
> Finn has a strange dream of golden light and a mysterious girl, but can't afford to dwell on that. They overslept and are late to the annual Still Brunch! What will their mothers say?

_My shoulders are heavy… why am I wearing armor? I push my hair out of my face- it’s longer than usual. Instead of barely grazing my chin, it falls past my hips. I’m taller, stronger, faster. Weird, but everything is too hazy for me to think clearly._

_I’m standing in an endless expanse, like my room was taken and stretched out indefinitely. There’s a mirror on the wall next to me. I walk towards it, hearing my heavy boots hit the floor and my hand tighten around the sword I hold. It looks like the one Mama has, yet_ I _feel connected to it. I know it’s my own sword, not hers. It echoes my own heartbeat, I can feel its pulse._

_The mirror is shiny and new, I look into it deeply. A face, paler and older than my own, stares back. I take a step backwards, suddenly afraid. The She-Ra in the mirror doesn’t move, just stands there silently. She wears my mother’s face… will she one day wear my own?_

_I throw the sword down on the ground in front of me, She-Ra’s eyes follow. She looks sad, but I’m too scared to worry about why. I spin around, desperate to escape, and crash into someone. I stumble back, caught between a rock and a hard place._

_A girl towers over me, her braided ponytail hanging over one shoulder. She wears clothes I’ve never seen before, a strangely metallic fabric that glitters as she moves. Her skin is darker than my own, and gold earrings shimmer and frame her face. The earrings… they’re shaped like swords?_

_The girl bends to down, extending her hand. I hesitate, but take it. Standing upright, I’m taller than her. I glance back at the mirror, but She-Ra is gone. It’s empty, no longer reflecting anything but a black void. The girl says something, asking a question, but her words are faint. It’s like trying to understand the buzzing of an insect._

_I shake my head, trying to speak. “Who are you?” I try to shout, but the words are ripped away from me before I can say anything._

_The girl bites her lip, frowning._

_“Please! Speak to me!” I beg, clasping her delicate hands in my own oversized ones._

_She looks at me, helpless. The girl reaches up and touches my cheek, her touch is so light I barely feel it. Then she leans forward, on tiptoe, and kisses my forehead. She cups my face in her hands as she breathes a single word._

_“Soon…”_

_Her eyes start to glow with a golden light, body dissolving._

_No. NO. Don’t go, not yet. I have so many questions._

_I lunge, trying to save her, but it’s too late. She looks at me once more, body breaking apart, and smiles. With a burst of light, she and the rest of the world blink out of existence. I feel myself falling, shifting, in the warm darkness…_

Finn rolled over, and blinked their eyes open. Sunlight streamed into through open windows, laughter and chatter could be heard from the palace grounds. Melog was gone, having long since woken up and wandered off. 

Finn reached over and checked the time. 10:37. They started doing mental calculations, if they’d gone to bed at about 3:30, 3:45 and woken up at 10:30, 10:45 ish- that was seven hours of sleep? Not the best, but manageable. 

But oh, _no._ The annual brunch was at 10- Finn was late.

They scrambled up, leaving their sheets unmade, and raced into the kitchen.

Adora looked up from the status report she was reading, a cup of coffee halfway to her lips. “Good morning, sunshine. Sleep okay?”

“I-I’m so sorry! I overslept, we’re late!” Finn gasped, heart pounding.

“Hey, it’s okay. It’s okay. We figured we would head down once you woke up.” Finn’s mama soothed, setting down her mug to rub Finn’s shoulder. 

“Besides,” Catra entered the kitchen in a green bathrobe with hair sticking up in every direction. “I don’t even want to go to this stupid brunch. So I should be thanking you for making us late!”

Adora looked at her wife, brow creasing. “We are all going to ‘this stupid brunch’ as a family, Catra, those are your friends!”

“Well, they were my enemies for the better part of three years,” Catra drawled, fangs peeking out as she smiled. 

“And they’re been your friends for almost the last two decades!” Adora retorted, gesturing wildly in exasperation. 

“Well then, we’d better go get dressed. I bet Double Trouble is already there.” Catra said, and winked at Finn.

Finn bounced excitedly. “Ah! Really, Mom? Okay, hurry up and get dressed! I’ll be ready to go in five minutes! Hurry, hurry, hurry!”

Laughing, Catra went back down the hallway (presumably to her and Adora’s room) while Adora finished drinking her coffee. Adora was, as usual, highly punctual and already dressed to go. She was wearing a white blouse with a fitted crimson skirt, belted with a shimmering gold band. Her hair was loose and fell around her face in waves, so different from the paintings that hung around Bright Moon. In those, she always had her hair pulled back and a tight jacket on. But now, Finn’s mother was older. Her face had a few lines, her hair spotted with a few gray hairs (Catra loved teasing her about that).

“You’re not going as She-Ra?” Finn paused, about to run and get changed.

Adora shrugged. “I might, later on, for tonight’s party. That is a formal occasion, which means _formal_ clothes. I know you and Mom hate them, but we are going to look presentable! But for the brunch, it’s pretty casual. Wear something clean, that you haven’t dragged through the forest and goodness knows where else!”

“Will do!” Finn swooped in, kissed their mama’s cheek, and ducked out as she attempted to hug them.

They raced to their room, opening drawers with frantic hurry. They threw on a white tank top and a pair of loose brown shorts. Bright Moon was so warm, Finn’s aunt Frosta was the only person that ever wore proper winter attire there. Mostly, clothes suited to spring weather were used.

Finn picked up their fingerless gloves- did they count as too informal? They were caked with dust and scraps of leaves from Finn’s exploration of the nearby forests. Better leave them off for now. Finn tied a red bandana around their neck, it had been a gift from Double Trouble on their last birthday, and threw on an oversized blue jacket. 

There. It wasn’t the most fashion forward, but it was comfy. Finn glanced at the new shoes their mama had bought them, shining black flats. They would have to wear them tonight, but for now they could go barefoot. Their feet were so calloused and, like Catra, they never had any problem going over tough terrain. The clean smooth palace floors should be no problem.

Finn glanced at themselves in the mirror, sizing themselves up. They looked good... enough. Good enough to please their relatives, at least. Finn couldn’t wait- today was the only family reunion the former Rebellion had. Everyone got together to celebrate the day the Horde was defeated, the first day the planet stood still without the tremors from explosions. Hence, it was dubbed the annual Still. 

Finn would finally get to see their dramaunt Double Trouble (a term made from the words aunt, uncle, and drama. Double Trouble had insisted on it), Uncle Sea Hawk, and maybe even Flora. They couldn’t wait! 

Finn dashed back to the kitchen and had almost reached the door when Adora rose from the table.

“Hold it, sunshine!” She said, and drew her weapon. A brush, tan and bristly, was held in her grasp, pointing at Finn like a sword. 

“No!” Finn laughed, trying to dodge, but their mother had the reflexes of a soldier. With a single move, Adora had Finn held against her and was brushing their hair with calm, gentle strokes.

“It hurts…” Finn whined, trying to wriggle away.

“It wouldn’t hurt if you actually took care of it,” their mama replied and kissed the top of the head. “Now, face me? I’ll style it the way you like.”

Finn grudgingly faced Adora as she swept their blonde hair in a messy wave, giving it gentle spikes.

“Your roots are starting to poke through,” Adora observed.

“Yeah, I know,” Finn said, embarrassed. They dyed their hair every month so it matched Adora’s, and the fact it wasn’t natural was something of a sore subject. Finn looked and acted so much like Catra, their other mom, it was hard not to feel disconnected from Adora at times.

“There. You look wonderful,” Finn’s mama finished and stood back, smiling at her child proudly.

“Woah! You look terrific. Of course you do, you're my kid,” Catra came back from the bedroom, stretching and reaching her arms high. “Are we all ready to go?”

“Almost,” Adora abruptly lunged at Catra with the brush, but Catra gracefully moved out of the way.

Catra, unlike her wife, was not dressed with careful thought. She wore a maroon shirt tucked into worn navy jeans, golden bracelets glinting on her wrists. Her hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, full of chestnut tufts that looked as though they were standing on edge.

“Not a chance!” Catra giggled, tail waving smugly. Despite Adora’s efforts, Catra had the same training she did. They knew the same attacks, had the same defenses. In a physical fight without She-Ra, they were evenly matched. 

“Okay, if I don’t brush it now you have to _promise_ me it’ll be combed for tonight!” Adora groaned, setting down the brush and placing her hands on her hips. “Promise me?”

“I promise,” Catra smirked and kissed her wife on the cheek. They both looked at one another, lose in their own world, blushing.

“Let’s get this show on the road!” Finn loudly interrupted, changing the subject. Did their parents have to be so gross in front of them?

Finn’s moms broke apart, straightening shirts and tucking stray hair behind their ears. Catra coughed into her hand, trying to muffle her purring.

“Yes, of course!” Adora clapped her hands together. She strode over and opened to door, stepping into the hallway of the Bright Moon palace. She held her hands out to the rest of her family. 

Catra followed her wife, accepting her hand and both of them looked back at Finn. 

Finn smiled and slammed their door shut behind them as they ran after their moms. They ended up holding on to Adora’s hand as the three made their way through the twisting corridors.

The Bright Moon palace had a festive mood to it, guards and servants were bustling around preparing for the night’s festivities. This year was especially exciting- it was Princess Luna’s first Still. The queen and prince consort, Finn’s aunt Glimmer and uncle Bow, were beyond thrilled to welcome their heir and baby daughter to the kingdom. There were also rumors that Bow was going to be made a full king, now that he had a daughter in the royal family his claim to the throne was solidified. 

Finn had heard his moms whisper for years about had badly Glimmer wanted to give her husband the proper title of king, but the counsel wouldn’t allow it since he had no royal ancestry. Now that his bloodline was in Bright Moon’s family, however, the loophole in Etherian laws granted Glimmer the right to crown him King. 

Of course, this could all be speculation. But the Bright Moon’s ruling family was changing. And everyone was excited to finally meet their future Queen Luna.

“Hey, what’s going on in there?”

Finn felt a tap on their head and saw Catra smiling at them. They’d been so caught up in their thoughts they had completely spaced out. 

Before them stood the heavy white doors to the banquet hall. Of course, it had once been a strategy room during the war, but now that there was no threat it was used for leisure. Finn could already hear talking and laughter flooding from the room, the sound of many people all eating and reminiscing. 

“Ready?” Adora squeezed Finn’s hand.

Finn nodded, a little nervous. 

“Don’t worry,” Catra whispered. “Everyone here loves you already, all you need to do is smile. Inside that room are some of the kindest people I’ve ever met.”

Bracing themselves, Finn managed a small smile and nodded at their moms. With a collective deep breath, the family entered the banquet hall as conversation hushed and heads looked up to see them.

Instantly, a roar of noise broke the silence as chairs scraped backwards. People were standing up, rushing to hug and greet Catra and Adora. 

Overwhelmed, Finn took a step back as their moms ran forward to meet the wave of former rebellion leaders. Lost in the fog of noise and chaos, Finn could just make out one sly remark, directed at them from the corner of the room.

“Well _there_ you are, darling. I was beginning to think you’d forgotten about me. Aren't you going to come say hello?”


End file.
